Chapter 04: The Hidden Gates
Kira’s heart raced as she fought to regain control of the Scavenger’s Edge. The ship’s systems had come back online just as quickly as they had failed, but the eerie silence that followed, broken only by the hum of the engines, left her with an unsettling feeling. She glanced over at Jaxon, who hadn’t moved from his seat, his gaze locked on the strange, glowing structure before them.
“What is this place?” she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to Jaxon. It wasn’t just an asteroid anymore. The mass ahead of them was a colossal structure, almost like a temple, built directly into the heart of a massive rock. Its surfaces shimmered with a light that seemed to emanate from within, casting strange, angular shadows against the floating debris around them.
Jaxon didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he pressed a few buttons on his console, bringing up new data on the screen. His fingers danced over the controls as he tried to decipher what they were seeing. The screen flickered momentarily, as if something was trying to interfere with their systems.
“This place… it’s not supposed to exist,” Jaxon said finally, his voice strained. “According to every report, every piece of data I’ve seen, the Ruins of Xanara were wiped off the map. Disappeared without a trace.”
“Yet here we are,” Kira said, a grim smile on her lips as she steered the ship closer to the structure. She couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment, the pull of something greater than just treasure waiting for them inside. Whatever secrets the Ruins held, they were waiting for her and Jaxon to uncover.
She maneuvered the ship to a docking platform at the base of the structure, a flat space barely visible against the asteroid’s surface. The platform was framed by towering pillars of dark stone, their surfaces covered in symbols Kira didn’t recognize. They were ancient, etched in patterns that seemed to twist and change the longer she stared at them. The more she looked, the more they seemed to move, as if alive in their own way.
“Ready?” Kira asked, her hand hovering over the hatch controls.
Jaxon didn’t answer at first. He simply watched the surroundings, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he nodded. “Let’s see what’s inside.”
Kira activated the hatch, and the sound of air pressure equalizing filled the cabin. The air outside was still, heavy with a sense of foreboding. They both stepped out of the ship and onto the cold metal surface of the platform. The echoes of their boots reverberated in the stillness.
“This is… surreal,” Kira murmured, gazing up at the towering structure before them. The architecture was unlike anything she had ever seen—smooth, curved lines and geometric shapes that defied the conventions of human design. It was almost as if the structure was not just built but grown, like it was part of the asteroid itself.
As they moved forward, Kira noticed faint traces of bioluminescence running through the stone. These glowing veins pulsed in rhythm, like a heartbeat, guiding them toward the entrance. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched, though she couldn’t explain why. The place was empty, but it felt full of secrets, lurking just out of sight.
“Keep your guard up,” Jaxon said, his voice low. “This place wasn’t built to welcome us.”
Kira nodded, her fingers brushing the hilt of the blaster at her side. Though they were both skilled in dealing with dangerous situations, the eerie silence of the Ruins unnerved her. There was something wrong here—something waiting.
The entrance loomed ahead of them. It was an archway, but instead of the usual door or threshold, it was more like a rip in the fabric of reality itself. The edges of the arch were lined with shifting, translucent patterns, like light refracted through a prism. Kira stepped forward, her breath caught in her throat as the air around them seemed to ripple in response to their presence.
“This is it,” she whispered.
Jaxon stood beside her, his eyes scanning the glowing arch. “It’s not just an entrance. It’s a gateway—like the field we just crossed. This could lead to something far more dangerous than just a lost treasure.”
Kira didn’t have time to process his warning. Before she could speak, the gate shimmered and shifted, as if recognizing their presence. With a soft hiss, the archway expanded, revealing a dark, narrow corridor inside. A soft blue light flickered from within, casting eerie shadows across the walls.
“We’re not turning back now,” Kira said, more to herself than to Jaxon.
Without waiting for his response, she stepped into the dark corridor, her boots echoing in the silence. Jaxon followed closely behind, his hand resting on the handle of his weapon, his eyes alert.
As they walked deeper into the Ruins, the air grew cooler, heavier, as if the very space around them was charged with an ancient, unknown energy. Kira’s senses were on high alert. Every footstep, every sound, felt magnified in the silence, but there was something else, too—something almost intangible. The walls seemed to pulse with energy, and Kira swore she could feel it pressing against her, like an invisible force.
She wasn’t sure how long they walked, but it felt like they had descended into the heart of the asteroid itself. The passage twisted and turned, leading them deeper into the Ruins. The bioluminescence grew brighter, illuminating strange, alien symbols carved into the walls.
“What do you think these are?” Kira asked, running her hand over one of the symbols. It was warm to the touch, as if the walls themselves were alive.
Jaxon didn’t respond immediately. He studied the symbols, his brow furrowing. “They’re not human,” he said after a long pause. “But they look familiar. Almost like they’re… quantum in nature. These symbols might be part of whatever’s keeping this place hidden.”
They continued on in silence, Kira’s mind racing with questions. Why had this place remained hidden for so long? What was the purpose of the treasure—or whatever it was they were searching for—and why had it been hidden in such a dangerous place?
The answers seemed just beyond reach, like a riddle with no solution.
Finally, they reached the heart of the Ruins. The corridor opened up into a massive chamber, the size of a small city. At its center was a pedestal, and atop that pedestal rested a single object—a shimmering crystal, pulsating with energy. The crystal was the size of a small planet, its surface covered in swirling patterns of light.
The moment Kira’s eyes fell on it, she felt an intense pull, as if the crystal was calling to her. It felt familiar, somehow, like it was meant for her.
“What is this?” she breathed, stepping forward.
Jaxon was silent beside her, his eyes fixed on the crystal. “This is the heart of the Ruins,” he said, his voice tense. “The treasure isn’t just gold or riches. This is something far more valuable. And far more dangerous.”
Before Kira could ask another question, the ground beneath their feet began to rumble. The crystal’s light intensified, and the chamber around them seemed to come alive, the walls shifting and twisting as if responding to their presence.
“This isn’t just a treasure hunt,” Jaxon said, stepping closer to Kira. “We’ve activated something. And now, there’s no turning back.”
The chamber continued to tremble, and Kira felt the full weight of their discovery crash down on her. They had come for treasure, but now they were about to uncover something far more complex—and far more dangerous—than they ever could have imagined. The question was, could they survive it?
